11 children die in Bangladesh crash, toll to rise

At least 11 school children were killed and dozens feared dead on Monday when a truck plunged into a ditch outside the city of Chittagong in southeast Bangladesh, local officials said. The accident occurred as the truck was carrying about 50 children from a football match, district police chief S.A. Morshed told AFP. Chittagong district government administrator Foyez Ahmed told AFP that 11 bodies had been recovered. "But the truck was packed with more than 50 school boys. More bodies are being pulled out from the ditch," he added. Private ATN News television said 32 school children were killed. Road accidents are common in Bangladesh and kill thousands of people a year. Shoddy highways, poorly maintained vehicles and drivers' disregard for road safety are blamed for most fatalities.